Azalea plant named ‘Tiara’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Azalea  plant named ‘Tiara’, characterized by its dark green-colored leaves that do not abscise during the cooling and forcing periods; uniform and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; uniform and freely flowering habit; relatively rapid flowering response; large white-colored flowers; semi-double to double flower form; and excellent postproduction longevity with plants maintaining good flower substance for about five weeks in an interior environment.

Botanical designation: Rhododendron hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Tiara’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Azalea, botanically known as Rhododendron hybrida, an evergreen greenhouse-forcing type Azalea, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Tiara’.

The new Azalea is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Alva, Fla. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Azalea varieties having uniform plant habit, profuse and uniform flowering response, dark green foliage, good foliage retention during the cooling and forcing periods, resistance to Cylindrocladium and excellent postproduction longevity.

The new Azalea originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in February, 1995, in Alva, Fla., of the Azalea cultivar Nancy of Robinhill, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Azalea identified as code number YB-1041, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Azalea was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla., on Mar. 1, 1999.

Asexual reproduction of the new Azalea by terminal cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla. since July, 1999, has shown that the unique features of this new Azalea are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Azalea has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and/or light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Tiara’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Tiara’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Dark green-colored leaves that do not abscise during the         cooling and forcing periods.     -   2. Uniform and outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Relatively rapid flowering response; plants begin flowering         about 26 days after cooling treatment.     -   6. Large white-colored flowers.     -   7. Semi-double to double flower form.     -   8. Excellent postproduction longevity with plants maintaining         good flower substance for about five weeks in an interior         environment.

Plants of the new Azalea differ from plants of the female parent, the cultivar Nancy of Robinhill, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Azalea are more uniform and denser than         plants of the cultivar Nancy of Robinhill.     -   2. Plants of the new Azalea and the cultivar Nancy of Robinhill         differ in flower color as plants of the cultivar Nancy of         Robinhill have light pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Azalea differ from plants of the male parent selection primarily in flower form and color as plants of the male parent selection have hose-in-hose flowers that are light coral in color

Plants of the new Azalea can be compared to the plants of the cultivar Irish Lace, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,187. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Azalea differed from plants of the cultivar Irish Lace in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Azalea were more spreading than plants of         the cultivar Irish Lace.     -   2. Plants of the new Azalea were more vigorous than plants of         the cultivar Irish Lace.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Azalea were more double in form         than flowers of plants of the cultivar Irish Lace.     -   4. Flowers of plants of the new Azalea and the cultivar Irish         Lace differed in color as flowers of plants of the cultivar         Irish Lace were greenish white.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Azalea. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Azalea.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Tiara’.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Tiara’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Alva, Fla. with three plants per 15-cm containers, in a polypropylene-covered shade house during the autumn and under commercial production conditions. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 13° C. to 37° C. and night temperatures ranged from 0° C. to 26° C. Plants were pinched at planting, pinched a second time about twelve weeks later, and then pinched a third time about twelve weeks after the second pinch. After sufficient flower bud development, plants were cooled at 3° C. to 5° C. for about four weeks to break flower bud dormancy. Plants were subsequently forced into flower under commercial production conditions in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse. Plants used for the photographs and description were about one year old. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Rhododendron hybrida ‘Tiara’. -   Commercial classification: Evergreen greenhouse-forcing type Azalea. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Rhododendron hybrida cultivar Nancy             of Robinhill, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Rhododendron hybrida identified as code number YB-1041, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About five weeks at             temperatures of 24° C. Winter: About six weeks at             temperatures of 24° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—Summer: About nine             weeks at temperatures of 24° C. Winter: About eleven weeks             at temperatures of 24° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous, and white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial, evergreen; uniform             and outwardly spreading plant habit; large broad inverted             triangle; vigorous growth habit. Densely foliated; full and             bushy plants. Uniform and freely flowering habit with             numerous semi-double to double flowers per plant.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching; about four primary             lateral branches develop after the initial pinch (removal of             terminal apex); numerous secondary and tertiary branches             develop after the sequential second and third pinches.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of flowers.—About 26 cm.         -   Plant diameter, area of spread.—About 55 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 22 cm. Diameter at             base: About 5 mm. Internode length: About 1.5 cm. Strength:             Strong. Texture, developing: Pubescent, fine brown hairs.             Texture, mature: Woody; pubescent, fine brown hairs. Color,             developing: Close to 144A to 144B. Color, mature: Close to             165A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, single. Foliage             retention: Very good foliage retention on plants of the new             Azalea that have been in a box for six weeks during the             cooling treatment. Length: About 5.5 cm. Width: About             2.8 cm. Shape: Mostly obovate. Apex: Cuspidate to mucronate.             Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Venation pattern: Pinnate.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent;             leathery, tough. Color: Developing and fully expanded             foliage, upper surface: Darker green than 147A; venation,             close to 147A, towards the base, close to 146A. Developing             and fully expanded foliage, lower surface: More green than             147B; venation, close to 146B to 146D. Petiole: Length:             About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close             to 146B to 146C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Natural flowering season.—Spring after sufficient cool             period. If forced, plants typically flower about 26 days             after a four-week cooling treatment; relatively rapid             flowering response. Flowers persistent.         -   Flower arrangement and appearance.—Flowers arranged singly             at terminals with usually about three flowers per apex;             uniform and freely flowering habit. Flowers face upward or             outward.         -   Flower appearance.—Flowers rotate and rose-like; semi-double             to double flower form with two whorls of petals and stamens             occasionally transformed into petaloids.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Excellent postproduction             longevity; under interior conditions, plants maintain good             flower substance for about five weeks.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower diameter.—About 9.75 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 3.75 cm.         -   Flower bud (before showing color).—Length: About 1.5 cm.             Diameter: About 7 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 146A to             146B.         -   Petals/petaloids.—Arrangement: Semi-double to double flower             form; two whorls of petals each with about five imbricate             petals and occasionally about five imbricate petaloids             (transformed stamens); petals and petaloids fused at the             base. Flowers appear full and rose-like. Petaloids variable             in size and shape. Outer whorl of petals: Length: About             5.7 cm. Width: About 4.5 cm. Inner whorl of petals: Length:             About 5.6 cm. Width: About 4 cm. Shape: Beyond fused base,             roughly spatulate with rounded to broadly acute apex.             Margin: Entire; undulate; ruffled. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; somewhat waxy. Color: When             opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 155D. When             opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 155D.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Five in a single whorl, fused;             subtending the petals. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About             6 mm. Shape: Ovate to lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 144A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.8 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.             Angle: Mostly upright. Strength: Flexible; strong. Texture:             Very pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Occasionally transformed             into petaloids. Quantity per flower: If not transformed,             five. Filament length: About 2.5 cm. Filament color: Close             to 155D. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Oblong.             Anther color: Close to 11C to 11D. Pollen amount: None             observed. Gynoecium: Quantity of pistils per flower:             Typically one. Pistil length: About 2.5 cm. Style length:             About 2.2 cm. Style color: Close to 155A. Stigma shape:             Rounded. Stigma diameter: About 2 mm. Stigma color: Close to             155D. Ovary color: Close to 146A; heavily whiskered.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed. -   Weather/temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Azalea have been     observed to be very tolerant to rain and wind. Plants of the new     Azalea have been observed to tolerate temperatures from about 0° C.     to about 38° C. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants have not been observed to be     resistant to pathogens and pests common to Azaleas. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Azalea plant named ‘Tiara’ as illustrated and described. 